Certain games have achievements systems, which allow players to brag about their kill streaks or other impressive deeds, but they are nothing compared to videos of the actual events. Standard screen recorders are not compatible with most games, but you can find numerous applications which you can use to record your gameplay. D3DGear is dedicated specifically to games which use DirectX or OpenGL. Like other similar applications, D3DGear allows you to record, take screenshots and view your current gameplay, but it also lets you broadcast video feeds or stream the gameplay to your friends.

Besides the limited evaluation period, you will not encounter any other restrictions while using the software's trial version. The setup file is almost 12 MB and the installation procedure is straightforward. The software works on Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 and it supports numerous DirectX versions, from DirectX 8 to DirectX11.1.

D3DGear's controls are neatly organized on a tabbed interface. You can make various adjustments to its screenshot and recording features, as well as its broadcasting and P2P streaming capabilities. The software allows you to select a specific area of the screen, where the FPS will be displayed, and choose a different color and size for the font. Screenshots can be saved in JPG, BMP, PNG and GIF format and you can set the application to include the frame rate on the snapshots, add a time stamp and more.

When configuring the recording feature, you may choose between the AVI and the WMV video formats, set a resolution and frame rate, select different video codecs, enable audio recording, convert surround channels to stereo and more. D3DGear allows you to assign a hotkey for each function. While playing a game, you can use these hotkeys and the application will start recording, broadcasting and so on. The recordings and screenshots are saved automatically in a folder of your choice.

To avoid affecting your performance while playing a game, D3DGear allows you to make different video settings for the broadcasting and streaming features. Besides inserting a URL, a broadcast key or other necessary information, you may choose a smaller resolution and a different frame rate.

Pros: Besides recording and taking snapshots, the software can broadcast your gameplay or stream it to one or more friends. The configurations can be made without any difficulties and you can activate D3DGear's features, while playing a game, with simple hotkeys. The software gives you complete freedom when it comes to output formats and other settings.

Cons: D3DGear's trial version can be used only for 15 days.

D3DGear provides any tool you need to show off your skills at any game.